Combination padlock



p 1939 J. MARSHALL El AL 2,173,720

COMBINATION PADLOCK Filed April 24, 1939 Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITEDSTATES COMBINATION PADLOCK James Keith Marshall and Samuel M. Soref,Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Master Lock Company, Milwaukee, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Application April 24, 1939, Serial No. 269,562

13 Claims.

This invention relates to looks, particularly of the permutation padlocktype. One object of the invention is to provide a mechanism to beautomatically actuated for dispersing or disarranging the tumblerpermutation in connection with the movement of the shackle. Anotherobject is to provide a locking bolt or lever adapted to coop-- cratewith the tumblers in releasing the shackle, but having a yieldable latchportion which permits closing the shackle after the locking lever hasbeen moved into locking position. It is also an object of the inventionto combine the various features of the padlock in a simple and sturdyconstruction adapted for economical manufacture and reliable operation.The invention consists in certain features and elements of constructionin combination, as herein shown and described and as indicated by theclaims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of a permutation padlock embodying this inventiontaken substantially as a section at a plane just inside the back wall ofthe case to reveal the internal mechanism and showing the shackle inlocked position, but with the tumblers set at release position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the shackle partially withdrawn in itsunlocking movement.

Fig. 3 is also a rear view with the rear wall of the case removed, andshowing the shackle fully withdrawn and the locking bolt or leverreturned to locking position.

Fig. 4 is a rear view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the shacklepartially inserted in the case in locking operation.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially as indicatedat line 5-5 on Fig. 3 for showing the relative arrangement of thevarious parts in the casing.

Fig, 6 is a detail face view of the tumbler upsetting plate.

Fig. 7 is an edge View of the same.

Fig. 8 is a detail face view of a forked plate associated with theshackle.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the locking bolt or lever withthe latch removed therefrom.

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective View of the latch.

In the drawing, l5 designates a lock casing which may be of any suitableshape, but which is illustrated as of cylindrical form comprising afront wall, 16, and a back plate, H, the front wall being integral withthe cylindrical portion of the casing. The casing may be enclosed in acupshaped shell, l8, preferably of light sheet metal which fits snuglyover the casing, and includes a front cover plate, disposed against thefront wall, I6, of the casing. An embossed rear cover plate, Eli, bearsmarginally against the back plate, ii, and both said plates are securedin place by a flange, 2i, formed by spinning over the rear edge of theshell, l8. Preferably, the front wall, 5 i3. and the back plate, II, arefurther secured together by riveted pins or posts, 22 and 23.

A guide member, 25, which may be formed as a sheet metal stamping, isrigidly mounted within the casing and includes a flat portion, 25,disposed against the inner surface of the front wall, l6, and securedthereto by the riveted post, 23. Bent up from one end of the member, 25,is a flange, 2?, extending transversely between the front and rearplates, l6 and I1, and formed with a round opening, 30, in which theshackle, 3|, is guided.

The legs of the U-shaped shackle, 3|, extend slidably through openings,formed in the cylindrical portions of the casing, 15, and shell, l8. Thelonger leg, 3P of the shackle fits slidably and rotatably in theopening, 30, in the guide flange, 2'1, and the shorter leg, 3| has abeveled end, 33, and a locking notch, 34, near this end. In theconstruction illustrated the shackle is free for rotation about the axisof its longer leg when the shorter leg is withdrawn clear of the shell,l8, but this freedom for rotation is not essential to the purposes ofthe present invention. At its inner end the longer leg, 3P of theshackle is formed with an annular groove, 38, to receive a forked plate,39, which is retained on the shackle leg by engagement of its straightedge, 39, with the flat inner surface of the back plate, l1; this alsoprevents the plate, 39, from rotating about the shackle within thecasing, but allows it to travel with the shackle leg whenever theshackle is reciprocated in the casing. The plate, 39, also serves tolimit the outward movement of the shackle by engaging the guide flange,21, when the shackle is fully withdrawn.

A locking lever, 4!, preferably formed of sheet metal, comprises a Web,M pivotally carried on the post, 22, and an arcuate flange, 4| throughwhich the tumblers control the locking lever, as hereinafter more fullydescribed. The web, ll carries a pivot stud, 42, upon which there ismounted a latch member, 43, whose flange, 43 normally engages in thenotch, 34, of the shackle for holding the latter locked in the case. Atthe opposite side of the pivot, 42, from the flange, 43 the edge, 43*,of the latch abuts the post, 22, which limits its swing in one directionand cooperates with the latch, 43, in holding the shackle in lockedposition. And a spring, 45, coiled about the pivot stud, 42, reacts tohold the latch yieldingly in its locking position with the edge, 43abutting the post, 22.

The stud, 48, is rigidly secured, as by riveting, to an embossed portionof the back plate, ll, of the casing and projects forwardly throughcentrally apertured portions of the front wall, l6, and the cover plate.The tapered front end of the stud, 48, as seen in dotted outline in Fig.5, fits loosely in the bore of an operating knob, 50,

which is rotatably mounted in the front wall, IS. A dished dial plate,5|, is carried rigidly on the knob for rotation therewith, and,preferably, the front cover plate of the shell is embossed with anannular bead, 54, surrounding the dial. may be understood that the bead,54, carries an index mark (not shown), and that the-dial; 5|, carriessuitable scale markings (not shown), as is customary in permutationlocks of this general type.

A driving tumbler or disk, 55, is concentrically and rigidly secured tothe inner end of the knob and carries the usual transfer lug, 56, forcooperation with the other tumblers. Additional tumblers or disks, 5!and 58, are shown rotatably carried on the stud, 48, with their transferlugs, 68, projecting from adjacent faces for cooperative engagement inthe usual manner. The tumblers are separated by washers, 6 I, which arepreferably formed to inter-engage with a key-way, 62, in the stud, 48,so that they are held against rotation and thus prevented fromtransmitting any rotative movement from one tumber to, the next. Theentire assembly is subjected to limited friction by means of acompressed coil'spring, 63, surrounding the rear end portion of thestud, 58, adjacent the back plate, ll.

Each of the tumblers, 55, 51 and 58, has a peripheral slot or notch, 64;formed to admit the flange, N of the locking lever or bolt, 4!, whenthese slots are registered with each other and with said flange, 4| byadjusting the knob, 55, alternately in opposite directions, and tosuecessive predetermined positions, the tumblers being thus rotated topredetermined positions by inter-engagement of the lugs, 55 and Gil, ina well understood manner. In. Fig. 1 the tumblers are thus shown asadjusted in registered position, ready to receive the end of the flange,M As soon as the tumblers have been thus registered, with their notches,64, opposite the flange, M of the locking lever, 41, the shackle, 3|,can be pulled out; the notch, 34, in the shorter leg, 3i of the shackle,being inter-engaged with the flange, 43 of the latch on the. lockinglever, 4!, will rock' the locking lever bodily into the position shownin Fig. 2, with its flange, 4| entering the notches, 64, of thetumblers.

Adjacent the rear tumbler 58, the stud, 48, carries a rotatableplatemember, 19, having a rather wide notch, H, with divergent edges;this plate stands normally with said notch slightly out of registrationwith the flange, M of the locking lever, andwith the position at whichthe notches, 6d, of the permutation tumblers are registered forunlocking the shackle. Nhen the notches have been so registered, and theshackle is partly pulled out, as shown in Fig. 2, the movement of theflange, M into the notches, 64, produces a camming action against thecurved edge, 12, of the notch, H, and forces the plate, 10, to rotateabout its axis until its notch, H, is substantially registered with thenotches, 64-, of the tumbler disks so that the bolt flange, M may entersaid notches to their full depth, allowing the bolt or locking lever,4|, to swing far enough to release the short end, 3!", of the shackle.Projecting from the face of the tumbler, 53, which is adjacent theplate, H3, is a lug, 58 similar to the transfer lugs, 68. The opposingface of the plate, i0, is provided with a plurality of projections orteeth, 13, having oppositely inclined faces so that one of theseprojections, indicated at 13 in Fig. 1, will be caused to ride over thelug, 58*, as the plate, H1, is forced around for registration of itsnotch, H, with the notches, 6:3, at which position it is shown in Fig.3. The tooth, 53 is able to ride over the lug, 58 because the plate, it,is held yieldingly against the tumbier, 58, by the spring, 63, and theinclined formation of the tooth, 13 facilitates this action. In theprocess of manufacturing the tumblers the transfer lugs may be variouslypositioned to insure that different locks will have differentcontrolling permutations; and, as a matter of convenience, the tumbler58, may be similar in construction to the tumbler, 5'l,that is, to theextent of having transfer lugs on both its faces. Hence, the lug, 58,may be variously located in different locks, and to meet this situationthe plate, it, is provided with several inclined teeth or projections,'68, one of which willfbe positioned to function with such a lug as 58wherever it may be located around the axis.

In the final portion'of the opening movement the projecting lug, 39 ofplate, 39, carried on the end of the longer shackle leg, 3W, strikes theflange, M which has entered the notches, 6-5; of the tumblers and forcesit out of the notches, as shown in Fig. 3. This leaves the tumbler disksfree to be rotated; but the locking bolt or lever, M, is thus swung backtolocking position, with the latch member, 43, extending in the pathalong which the short leg, 3t of he shackle must return as it enters thecasing.

Thus, in the closing movement of the shackle, the beveled end, 33, ofthe shackle leg, 3t strikes the flange, 53, of the latch member, andforces the latch to rotate yieldingly about its pivot stud, 42, to asuflicient extent to permit the end of the shackle to pass it, as seenin Fig. 4. At the same time, this end of the shackle engages a flange orlug, H, on the arm; 15, of the plate, it, so that inward movement of theshackle rotates the plate and causes its tooth, 13 to engage the lug, 53and rotate the tumbler, 58, by a substantial angle, more than suflicientto carry its notch, 64, out of registration with the bolt flange, 4%.Thus the bolt or looking lever, 4!, is blocked by the circular portionof the tumbler, 58, and is held in locking position so that when theshackle has been fully entered, and the spring-pressed latch has snappedback to its normal position, with its flange, 43 engaging in the notch,34, the shackle will be retained in locked position. It can then bereleased only; by resetting. the entire group of tumblers, 55, 5? and58, since the tumbler, 58 which has been displaced from registeredposition can only be registered again through the intermediate action ofthe other two tumblers adjusted by the knob, 5%. To limit the swingingmovement of the plate, it, and keep the plate within a proper range atall times, it may be provided with a radially extending stop lug, it,which will encounter the post, 23, when the shackle is fully depressedin the closing movement;

It will be evident that the construction herein shown and described iscomparatively simple and involves no structure which is likely to breakor get out of order in normal use. The provision of the spring, 63,pressing axially upon the tumbier-upsetting plate, Ill, affords a springratchet effect in the engagement between the teeth, 13, of the plate andthe lug, 58 of the adjacent tumbler; the faces of the teeth, 13, beinginclined in both directions, permit the tumbler, 58, to be rotated ineither direction relatively to the plate, "3, for adjustment inaccordance with the permutation which brings the notches, B4,. of the 76several tumblers into alignment. And this inclined formation of theteeth, and particularly of the tooth, 13*, allows the camming action ofthe bolt flange, 4! against the curved edge of the notch, H, to shiftthe tooth, 13 over the lug, 58 so as to prepare the plate to rotate thetumbler, 58, through a main'mum angle in shifting its notch, 65, out ofits registered position. The extending arm, 39 of the forked plate, 39,provides an extremely simple means for ejecting the bolt from thetumbler notches so as to permit disarrangement of the permutation, andthe provision of the spring latch on the bolt itself permitsreengagement of the notched leg of the shackle in a very simple mannerafter the bolt has already been shifted into locking position.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structureembodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the artthat various modifications and re-arrangements of the parts may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and thatthe same is not limited to the particular form herein shown anddescribed, except in so far as indicated by the appended claims.

We claim: 7

l. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legsslidable in said openings, one of said legs being longer than the other,shackle-locking means in said case including a tumbler rotatablyadjustable to release said shackle, and a member rotatable co-axiallywith said tumbler and so rotated by the shorter leg of the shackle inits locking movement, together with yielding means urging said memberaxially into engagement with said tumbler for turning the tumbler out ofshackle-releasing position when the member is so rotated.

2. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legsslidable in said openings, one of said legs being longer than the otherand being anchored within the case, the shorter leg being withdrawabletherefrom in its unlocking movement, shackle-locking means in said caseincluding a tumbler rotatably adjustable to release the shackle, amember rotatable co-axially with said tumbler and having an armengageable by the shorter leg of the shackle in its return movement tolocking position, means actuated by the shackle in its unlockingmovement to swing said arm into the return path of said shorter legpreparatory to such engagement, and yielding means urging said memberaxially into driving relation with the tumbler to enable said member toturn the tumbler out of shackle-releasing position when the member isrotated by engagement of its said arm by the shorter shackle leg in itsreturn movement to locking position.

3. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legsslidable in said openings, one of said legs being longer than the otherand being anchored within the case, the shorter leg being withdrawabletherefrom in its unlocking movement, shackle-locln'ng means in said caseincluding a tumbler rotatably adjustable to release the shackle, amember rotatable co-axially with said tumbler and having an armengageable by the shorter leg of the shackle in its return movement tolocking position, a pivoted locking lever normally engaged with theshorter shackle leg in looking position and releasable by adjustment ofthe tumbler which permits said lever to swing about its pivot anddisengage said shackle leg when the latter is withdrawn from the case,said lever having a part engageable with said member for swinging thearm of the latter into the return path of said shackle leg, and yieldingmeans urging said member axially into driving relation with the tumbler,whereby the tumbler is shifted out of shackle-releasing position by thereturn movement of the shackle.

4. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legsslidable in said openings, a shackle-locking bolt in the case formed toengage one leg of the shackle for locking it, a tumbler disk rotatablyadjustable in the case and having a notch dimensioned to receive aportion of said bolt to permit its movement to shackle-releasingposition, a tumbler shifting member pivoted co-axially with the tumblerand having a cam portion engageable by the bolt as it enters the tumblernotch, whereby the bolt, in its movement to release the shackle forwithdrawal from the case, turns the shifting member while blockingrotation of the tumbler, said shifting member being rotatable by theshackle leg in its return to locking position, and yielding means urgingsaid shifting member axially into driving rotation with the tumbler forshifting the tumbler with it as the shackle returns to locking position.

5. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legsslidable in said openings, a shackle-locking bolt in the case formed toengage one leg of the shackle for locking it, a tumbler disk rotatablyadjustable in the case and having a notch dimensioned to receive aportion of said bolt to permit its movement to shackle-releasingposition, a tumbler shifting member pivoted co-axially with the tumblerand having a cam portion engageable by the bolt as it enters the tumblernotch, whereby the bolt, in its movement to release the shackle forwithdrawal from the case, turns the shifting member while blockingrotation of the tumbler, means carried by the other leg of the shackleinto direct engagement with the bolt for moving it out of the tumblernotch in the final portion of the unlocking movement, said shiftingmember being rotatable by the first-mentioned shackle leg in its returnto locking position, and yielding means urging said shifting memberaxially into driving relation with the tumbler for shifting the tumblerwith it as the shackle returns to locking position.

6. In a permutationlock, a locking member, a plurality of rotatableadjustable tumbler disks co-axially disposed and having alignablenotches, a movably mounted bolt normally blocking unlocking movement ofsaid locking member except when the notches of the tumblers are adjustedto register with a portion of said bolt for permitting such movement,means for adjusting the tumblers in registered relation, a portion ofthe looking member engaging the bolt and serving to move it into thenotches in the initial portion of the unlocking movement, means carriedby the locking member to engage said bolt and eject it from said notchesin the final portion of the unlocking movement, a shifting memberrotatable co-axially with the tumblers and movable by the locking memberin its return to locking position, and yielding means urging saidshifting member axially into driving relation with at least one of saidtumblers for turning its notch out of registered position during saidreturn of the locking member.

'7. In a permutation lock including a case with an opening and a lockingmember movable therethrough, a shiftable bolt member engageable with thelocking member to hold it at locking position, a plurality of co-axiallymounted rotatable turnbler disks having alignable notches to receive aportion of said bolt when the latter is moved to release the lockingmember, means carried by the locking member and engaging the bolt toeject it from the tumbler notches in the latter portion of the unlockingmovement, and means including a plate rotatable co-axially with saidtumblers and yieldingly urged axially into engagement with one of saidtumblers, whereby rotation of the plate serves to rotate the tumbler forshifting its notch out of adjusted position, said plate including aportion engageable by the locking member for such rotation when thelocking member moves to locking position.

8. In a permutation lock including a case with an opening and a lockingmember movable therethrough, a shiitable bolt member engageable with thelocking member to hold it at locking position,

a plurality of co-axialiy mounted rotatable tumbler disks havingalignable notches to receive a portion of said bolt when the latter ismoved to release the locking member, means carried by 'the lockingmember and engaging the bolt to eject it from the tumble notches in thelatter portion of the unlocking movement, and means including a platerotatable co-axially with said tumblers and yieldingly urged axiallyinto engagement with one of said tumblers, the adjacent faces of saidtumbler and plate having mutually engageable projections wherebyrotation of the plate serves to rotate the tumbler for shifting itsnotch out of adjusted position, said plate including a portionengageable by the locking member for such rotation when the lockingmember moves to locking position.

9'. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legsslidable in said openings, a shackle-locking bolt in the case formed toengage one leg of the shackle for looking it, a tumbler disk rotatablyadjustable in the case anc having a notch dimensioned to receive aportion of said bolt to permit its movement to shacklereleasingposition, a tumbler shifting member pivoted co-axially with the tumblerand having a cam portion engageable by the bolt as it enters the tumblernotch, whereby the bolt, in its movement to release the shackle forwithdrawal from the case, turns the shifting member while blockingrotation of the tumbler, said shifting member being rotatable by theshackle leg in its return to locking position, the adjacent faces ofsaid shifting member and tumbler having mutually engageable projectionswhereby said rotation of the shifting member turns the tumbler out ofshackle-releasing position, such engagement of the shifting member andtumbler being maintained by yielding means pressing said parts axiallytogether, and one of said projections being inclined to permit forcingthe other past it when the parts are rotated relatively to each other.

10. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legsslidable in said openings, one leg of the shackle being notched, ashackle-controlling bolt member pivotally mounted in the case, and aspring latch pivoted on the bolt member and projecting therefromnormally for engaging the notch of the shackle, a plurality of tumblerdisks co-axially disposed and having alignable notches to receive aportion of the bolt to permit movement of the latter about its pivot toshackle-releasing position, stop means limiting the pivotal movement ofthe latch upon the bolt in one direction whereby withdrawal of theshackle serves to swing the bolt on its pivot and release the shacklenotch from the latch, means carried by the shackle acting to eject thebolt from the tumbler notches and return the bolt to normal position,and means thereafter shifting at least one of the tumbler notches out ofaligned position and thus holding the bolt at normal position, saidlatch projecting in the return path of the shackle when the bolt isswung back to normal position but yielding to admit the shackle when thelatter is returned to locking position.

11. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legsslidable in said openings, one leg of the shackle being notched, a boltmember formed of sheet metal and comprising a fiat web portion pivotallymounted in the case and a transversely extending flange, together with alatch member pivoted upon the web of the bolt and disposed for normallyengaging the notch of the shackle, a plurality of tumbler disksco-axially disposed and having alignable notches to receive the flangeof the bolt member for permitting movement of the latter about its pivotto shackle-releasing position, stop means limiting the pivotal movementof the latch upon the bolt in one direction whereby withdrawal of theshackle serves to swing the bolt on its pivot and release the shacklenotch from the latch, said latch projecting in the return path of theshackle when the bolt is swung to normal position but yielding to admitthe shackle when the latter is returned to locking position.

12. In the combination defined in claim 11, said latch member being alsoformed of sheet metal and including a flat web portion pivoted upon theweb of the bolt and a transversely extending flange which is engageablewith the notch of the shackle, a spring coiled about the pivot of thelatch with one end engaging the latch flange and with the other endengaging the bolt pivot to yieldingly resist swinging of the latch inone direction, said bolt pivot serving also as the stop which limitspivotal movement of the latch in the other direction.

13. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legsslidable in said openings, one leg of the shackle being notched, a

shackle-controlling bolt member pivotally mounted in the case andcomprising two parts hingedly connected, stop means limiting theirangular movement about their hinge axis and spring means yieldinglyresisting such movement away from the stop, a plurality of tumbler disksco-axially disposed and having alignable notches to receive a portion ofone part of the hinged bolt for permitting the bolt to swing bodilyabout its pivot to shackle-releasing position, the other part of thebolt being engaged with the notch of the shackle and the stop means ofthe bolt causing withdrawal of the shackle to swing the bolt on itspivot, said other part of the bolt projecting in the return path of theshackle when the bolt is swung back to normal position and the springpermitting said part to yield about its hinge axis to admit the shackleand then swinging said part into the notch of the shackle as the latterreturns to locking position.

JAMES KEITH MARSHALL. SAMUEL M. SOREF.

